Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008 - Player Comments about Larkhill Golf Course

A very nice little gem of a course, designed by John Rainey, not the most well-known designer around, but very challenging and beautiful.
The first thing that you will notice is the vegetation with plenty of small bushes spread everywhere on the course, which will give you fits if you hit errant shots, as I did a few times. If you add some very sharp dogleg holes with plenty of water hazards and some... big rocks, spread along the course, this par 72 is very enjoyable to watch and play.
The first two scenic holes (the left dogleg par-4 1st and the par-4 2nd), will give you a taste of things to come, just like the gorgeous par-3 3rd hole, with lots of bushes, and an elevated green with a small stone wall on the right side.
After the left dogleg par-4 4th hole, requiring a downhill tee shot, the par-5 5th is pretty straight with a narrow fairway and bunkers on both sides (and a small pond near the green), just like the par-4 6th hole, pretty straight too, but with a downhill green and bunkers around.
The other par-3 7th hole is quite picturesque with its downhill green and plenty of bushes to deal with, whereas the sharp left dogleg par-5 8th hole, with a big lake in the middle, will leave you with a choice of hitting your tee shot either on the left or the right fairway to avoid getting wet...
As for the par-4 9th hole, with a creek running along the fairway on the left, then crossing in front of the green to the right, it is very pretty with its nice little bridge and big rocks nearby.
The back 9 is quite pretty too, starting with the par-3 10th hole, with a peninsula green covered with flowers and a very nice retaining stone wall around the lake.
After the scenic left dogleg downhill par-5 11th hole, with bushes and a small pond near the green, the next two holes, the par-4 13th and the par-4 14th, are sharp doglegs, right and left, with a big hill along the fairway on the left and the lake on the right on the latter.
Other holes that stand out are the par-4 15th, with its twisted fairway and lake on the right side, the gorgeous par-3 17th hole, with an island green in the middle of a narrow but elongated lake, and the sharp right dogleg par-4 18th hole, where, once again, you might be tempted to hit your tee shot on the other fairway to the right to avoid the big lake on the left side.
Hidden among hundreds of fantasy courses, Larkhill is a definite keeper, combining beauty and toughness, and I will definitely take a closer look at the few other courses, designed by John Rainey, who should be recognized and thanked for all his work and creativity !